Coin-controlled vending machine



Nov. 25, 1952 w. M. STEWART com-coNTRoLLED VENDING'MACHINE 7Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 25, 1949 0mm/ex Nov. 25, 1952 w. M. STEWARTCOIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1949Eig. 5

Nov. 25, 1952 w. M. STEWART 2,619,399

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet I5Nov. 25, 1952 w. M. STEWART 2,619,399

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1949 7 sheets-sheet 4Eig. .7

[N VENTO/P Mm Mam? Gen/wr Nov. 25, 1952 w. M. STEWART 2,619,399

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1921s 7 sheets-sheet 5Mun/v Mlm/r: fred/4er Nov. 25, 1952 w. M. STEWART' 2,619,399

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1949 7 sheets-sheet 6 NGQ t jill/mwa /V/Lso/v MSM: frz-wan?- Nov. 25, 1952 w. M. STEWART2,619,399

com-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 7me/WEZ Patented Nov. 25, Y1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

lVly invention relates to a coin-controlled vending machine.

More particularly, the invention relates to a coin-controlled machinefor vending bottled wares, such as milk, soft drinks and others.

The machine of the present invention, generally, is of the type shown inmy prior Patent 2,284,931, dated June 2, 1942, in that a bottle islifted by a lifter and carried to a position under an ejection opening,raised by the lifter, and then manually grasped and withdrawn out of themachine through the opening. rlhe lifter is manually operated fromoutside of the machine, the stem of the lifter projecting out of the topof the machine through a narrow elongated slot eectively leading to theejection opening. A mechanism, controlled by a coin, locks the bottlelifter and releases the same. When released by the insertion of thecoin, the lifter can be carried to a position above the selected bottle,lowered to grasp the bottle, and then carried back to a position whereit is automatically locked, adjacent the ejection opening, at which thebottle can be manually grasped and Withdrawn.

In a machine according to the present invention, the coin-controlledmechanism and coin box are carried by a panel which forms part of thetop or cover of the machine and which is easily applied and easilyremoved as a complete and self-contained unit. When applied, inoperative position, it is retained in such position Without the use ofscrews or the like.

According to one feature of the present invention, the unit is slid intoside channels to its operative position at one end (the front) of thecasing, and is held in that position by two slightly spaced glass-toppedpanels when such panels are closed over the casing. The channels formpart of a frame to which the glass panels are hinged. Thus, the entiretop of the machine is made of the glass panels and the panel of theVending unit. This renders possible the easy and inexpensive conversionof refrigerated, non coinccntrolled, so-called coo1ers, to acoin-controlled vending machine, by removing the lid of such coolers andsubstituting therefor a frame with hinged glass panels and a complete,selfcperating unit.

The objects of the invention, generally, are to provide improvements inthe machine of my said prior patent.

A specific object of the invention is to convert a so-called cooler ornon coin-controlled vending machine for wares in bottles, particularlyin capped bottles, to a coin-controlled vending machine, at relativelylittle cost and Without mutilating the cooler.

Another specic object of the invention is to provide a complete andself-sulicient unit capable of being applied to the top of a so-calledcooler, thus converting a cooler to a coin-controlled vending machine.

Another specific object oi the invention is to provide means by whichthe bottle is raised gradually, while being carried to deliveryposition, so that the bottle slightly emerges out of the ejectionopening of the machine when the bottle has reached its delivery positionunder the opening.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide, in a vendingmachine of the kind using a bottle lifting device, a, novel andefficient tray in which the bottles are urged toward the lifting device.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicatecorresponding parts in the various figures, and wherein is shown thepreferred form of the invention,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine, the

lifter being in process of carrying a bottle to its Y ejection position;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 in Figure l, on an enlarged scale, thetrap being in its bottleejecting position;

Figure 3 is an elevation as on line 3 3 in Figure 1; but showing thetrap in its bottle ejecting position as in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a phantom top plan view of the removable panel to which thecoin box and trap are operatively mounted, the trap being shown in itsbottle-ejection position;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 in Figure 1, the trap being in aposition ready to receive the bottle being carried toward the ejectionopening;

Figure 7 is a section on line l-l in Figure 2, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 8 is a top plan View of the tray;

Figure 9 is a bottom plan View of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a section on line lli-l in Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a section on line l l--I l in Figure 8, on v.an enlargedscale;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the bottle pusher member;

Figure 13 is a section on line l S-I 3 in Figure 1, on an enlargedscale, with the tray removed and the panel (with trap and coin box unit)partly removed from its supporting channels, and with the lids raised;and

Figure 14 is a section on line ll-l in Figure 1, on an enlarged scale.

Referring now by numerals to the drawings, the casing includes verticalfront and rear Walls I0 and Il, respectively, and vertical side wallsI2. Within the casing are stored the bottles to be vended. The bottles(not shown) rest in a tray 29 (not shown in Figure 1) removablysupported on a floor IBS, as best seen in Figure 14.

Suitably secured to the upper edges of the four vertical walls of thecasing, preferably resting upon a rubber gasket I3, is a metal frame I4of angle cross-section. Portions of the side members or legs of theframe are formed to present oppositely disposed channels I5 (see Figures1, 3, 13 and 14). Hinged to the rear member or leg of the frame are twotransparent panels or lids I1. Conveniently, each lid includes arectangular, shatter-proof plate glass panel I8 having rear and frontmarginal portions embedded in metal strips I9 and 2 D. The rear strip I9is operatively hinged to the rear leg of the frame I4, as byconventional metal hinge stripping 2|. When closed or lowered, the lids,more particularly the front strip 23, bear upon the horizontal anges ofthe side legs of the frame I4. Chains 65 anchored between the casing andthe lids serve to hold the lids in proper raised position.

The lids, more particularly the glass panels I8, are slightly spacedfrom one another to provide a narrow, elongated slot shown as 24 (seeFigure 1). Adapted to be slid into channels I5 to a position abuttingthe front extremity of the frame I4, is a panel 25 which carries thecoincontrolled mechanism and coin box unit (to be referred to later).Conveniently, the channel is defined by the angle of the frame I4 and aplate IEA welded thereto, as best shown in Figures 3, 13 and 14. Whenthe lids I1 are locked in closed position over the casing as by anysuitable locks 66 (see Figure l), the panel 25, with the control unit,is locked in operative position. The width of the panel 25, that is, itsdimension from front to rear, is less than the dimension of the lids,from front to rear.

The panel 25 is provided with a narrow slot 26 merging with anangularly-(preferably rightangularly) directed narrow slot 21terminating short of an opening 23 through which the bottles arewithdrawn one by one.

The lifter, shown diagrammatically only as L, which preferably takes theform shown in my co-pending application S. N. 86,817, filed April 11,1949, effectively operates along the slots 24, 26 and 21, to bring abottle to a position under the ejection opening 28, the slot 26 being inalignment with the slot 24.

The bottles are placed in upstanding position, preferably in a tray 29lying above the floor |30, the floor defining with the four verticalwalls of the casing, the lids I1 and the panel 25, a compartment whichis refrigerated or maintained at the desired temperature by any suitablerefrigerating means (not shown). The tray shown operates to slide thebottles toward the centre of the refrigerated compartment aforesaid,that is, toward the slot 2.4., to be lifted one by one by the lifter Land then carried to ejection position under the opening 28.

The tray is formed to provide a number of parallel channels receivingrows of aligned bottles in upstanding position.

The tray is made as a unit adapted to be laid in position upon the floor|36, with the individual trays proper or channels disposed at rightangles to the slot 2d.

As shown, 55 are inverted, substantially T- shaped members adapted todefine, when laid side by side, a number of the trays proper. The

outer trays are in part denecl by substantially L-shaped members 56. Thehorizontal legs of the members 55 and 56, are each formed with a shallowinverted V-shaped portion 51. rIhe portions 51 serve as tracks uponwhich the bottles are supported for sliding movement lengthwise of theindividual trays proper. The members 55 and 56, as the case may be, areheld in required spaced relationship, to define longitudinal spaces orslots 64, by securing the same t0 end brackets 63, the brackets in turnsupporting the tray unit above the floor |36. `Sliding on each of theindividual trays is a bottle pusher member 66B, best seen in Figure 12.The pusher member is generally of L shape formed to provide a leg whichslides upon the said tracks 51 and a vertical wall or leg 66. The leg 66serves to engage and push the bottle.

Depending from the horizontal leg member 65 is an L-shaped portion denedby a vertical portion 61 and a horizontal portion 68 one edge of whichis notched as at 69. The portion 61 is adapted to lie in and move withinthe Space or elongated slot 64 and guide the pusher member. Thehorizontal portion 68, which underlies the horizontal leg members of thetray members 56 and 55 serves, together with the web 61, properly toguide the pusher member in its course longitudinally or" the tray properwith which it is associated, and to remain operatively attached to suchtray.

As best seen in Figure 8, two pusher members are associated with eachindividual tray. Coil springs are tensioned and arranged normally toslide the pusher members toward the centre of the tray unit complete,that is, toward the slot 2li (see Figure l). Thus, the springs 61 areanchored at one end to one of the brackets 63 and the other end attachedto the pusher member, more particularly to the portion 68. This end ofthe spring conveniently may be formed with an eye or hook |69 (seeFigure 10) which hooks into the notch 69.

For best economy, the distance between the lid I1 and the floor ISU ischosen to accommodate the height of the bottles to be vended; and forthe largest capacity for a given size of bottle storing compartment, theindividual trays should be completely filled with bottles, two bottleslying in close proximity under the slot 24. In vending from the machine,therefore, the bottles in the individual tray nearest the forward end othe slot 24 will rst be vended. When such tray is empty of bottles, thebottle lifter will now be capable of reaching the bottles in the secondtray; and so on.

If various brands of drinks are to be vended, it is necessary to providespacing members removably secured under the slot 2li by which themovement of the pusher members toward the slot 24 of some of theindividual slides or trays is stopped short of the slot. For instance,as best seen in Figures 8 and 10, an inverted U-shaped member 12 of aselected length-being a multiple of the width of one slide or individualtray-is removably secured to a number of the trays. The two parallelvertical legs 13 of the member or spacer 12 are slotted or notched as at18 (see Figure 11) to receive the vertical walls of the individual trayscr slides and thus locate the spacer against movement transversely ofthe trays. Thus, there will be a clear passage above the spacerco-extensive with the length thereof between the bottles in eachindividual tray next to or engaging the spacer. Bottles of differentbrands of drink can therefore be stored in individual trays and ondifferent sides of the spacer, and access thereto is selectivelypossible. In Figure 8, the spacer is shown as being of a length equal tothe combined width of four trays. The fifth tray (from the front) couldalso store different brands of drink on each side of the mid point ofthis tray as access to such tray by the lifter L is possible. Access tothe last or sixth tray, however, would not be possible until the fifthtray was empty of bottles.

To determine the position of the pusher members of the last two trays(fth and sixth), as urged by the springs, a stop `64A is provided ineach such .tray (see Figure 8). The stop conveniently may take the formof a U, the opposite parallel legs 65A of which may be secured to theside vertical walls of the tray as by screws (not shown), making itpossible easily to remove the stop should it -be desired to provide aspacer, 12, which would extend say as far as the fifth or sixth tray.

It has been found that in practice, the operator tends to handle thelifter when carrying or moving a bottle (after it has been lifted fromits tray) toward ejection position in such a manner as to cause thebottle to drag along the top wall 8i) of the spacer. The bottle wouldthus be presented to the open end of the trap 30 in an inclined position(see Figure 14), the stem S by this time engaging the outer, forward endof the slot 26, in line with the slot 21. The operator would now attemptto move the lifter along the slot 21 toward ejection position. Themovement of the lifter toward ejection position, however, would soon beimpeded because of the engagement of the bottle with the end of apartition or plate 8| depending from the panel 25 (see Figures 6, 7, and14) to be referred to later.

To checkmate this tendency of the bottle being improperly presented tothe trap, as aforesaid,

the top wall 8B of the spacer 12 is removed or cut off short of itsforward end, a distance say equal to the Width of one tray, as best seenin Figures 8 and 14, and the front vertical wall 56 of the front traythat is, the tray nearest to the ejection opening-is formed with acut-out 56A (see Figures 8 and 1l), to define or provide avertically-opening space 90 adapted to receive the lower end of thebottle, thus permitting the bottle free scope to assume a verticalposition, Within the tray. As the bottle is suspended by the lifter, theweight of the bottle causes the lifter and bottle to assume suchvertical position, when the bottle will now be well to one side of theplane of the partition 8l.

The coin-controlled mechanism includes a bottle-receiving member or trap30 adapted to move under the panel 25 longitudinally of the slot 21 andoperatively connected to a conventional coin box d by which the movementof the trap is controlled. The trap 30, substantially U- shaped inhorizontal cross-section-and thus having a rear closed end and a frontopen endincludes a member or bar 32 formed on one edge with a notch orrecess l 33 adapted to receive the stem S of the lifter L, in which itis retained as long as the stem is within the slot 21, as best seen inFigure 4. Thus, the trap, if free to move, can be moved lengthwise ofthe slot 21 by the lifter L.

The trap is secured to a rod 33 slidably supported by bearings 34carried by spaced, vertical plates 35 and 35 depending from the panel25, more particularly depending from a reinforcing casting 31 secured tothe underside of the panel or plate 25. One end of the rod 33 ispivotally and slidably connected as at and by a pin 38 (see Figures 2and 3) to a lever 39 of the mechanism of the coin box 49. The c-ontrollever 39 is fixed to the shaft (not shown) oi' the coin box mechanism.As already stated, the coin box mechanism is a conventional one, theshaft being freed by the insertion of a coin for rotation through an arcof a circle; the coin is released at about the end of the are, and themechanism automatically locks the shaft against rotation after it hasbeen rotated back to its initial position.

To retain the trap in vertical position, a U- shaped bracket 4I issecured to the bottom wall of the trap and is adapted to straddle a rod43 secured at its opposite ends in the plates 35 and 36. The distancebetween the trap, When in bottle-receiving position (in alignment withthe slot 2B) and when in bottle-lifting position adjacent the ejectionopening 28, is determined by the arcual movement of the lever 39.

Secured to the plate 35 is a vertical plate or partition 8| (previouslyreferred to) extending parallel of the rod 33 (or of the movement of thetrap 30) and adapted to lie clear of but close to the open end of thetrap, effectively to close the open end when the trap is inbottle-ejection position (see Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6), but to permit ofthe reception of a bottle when the trap is in bottle-receiving position(see Figures 3 and 6).

The trap 30 carries a vertical plate 86 extending parallel with its lineof movement. The plate extends to one side of the trap, substantially inthe plane of the open end thereof, to beyond the axis of the slot 26(and 211), effectively to close access into the slot 26 when the trap isin bottledelivering position (see Figures 4 and 5).

The trap 3D also preferably carries a horizontal plate adjacent to theunderside of the panel 25, adapted effectively to close the opening 28when the trap is in bottle-receiving position.

As used in the machine of my prior patent, a spring-loaded latch ispreferably used releasably to lock the trap in its bottle-receivingposition. Thus, a bar 93 is pivotally suspended as at 9d from the panel25 and has one end connected to the plate 36 as by a tensioned coilspring 95. The other end is formed with a depending hook-like portion 96adapted to engage one end (the lefthand end as seen in Figure 4) whenthe trap is in bottle-receiving position. The locking device is operatedto release the trap by the stem S -of the lifter L as it is manuallymoved into the slot 21 from the forward end of the slot 26.

Preferably, as best shown in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6, means are providedfor raising the bottle automatically toward the ejection opening 28 asthe trap is moved by the lifter from the bottle-receiving position(Figure 6) to its bottle-removing position (Figure 3). Thus, two levers45 and 46 are pivotally supported at their lower ends to the plates 35and 36, as at 48. The upper ends of the levers are pivotally connected,as at 139, to the opposite ends of a link 50, adapted to rise and movethrough a vertically-directed slot 5l cut upwardly partly through thetrap. (See Figure 7.) One end of the bottle-lifting link 50 is pivotallyconnected to a link 52 one end of which is pivotally connected to thetrap as at 53. The rarrangement is such that, when the trap is inbottle-receiving position (Figure 6) the bottlelifting link 55 is aboutflush with the bottom wall of the trap, but when the trap is inbottle-removing position (Figure 3), the bottle has been raised so thatits top or cap emerges slightly out of the panel 25 through the ejectionopening, when 'the bottle now conveniently can be grasped and lifted outof the machine manually.

Preferably, and as best shown in Figures 6 and 7, the plates 35 and 36include plates 98 slotted at 99 and adjustably secured thereto as bynuts threaded on the rod 43 projecting through the slot 99. Theextensions or plates 88 are secured in position to bear upon the floorof the casing of the machine, so that the panel is supported by thefloor at two points between the side walls of the casing.

Operation The bottles are laid in the trays. The pusher members, whichwill engage the outer bottles in each tray, tend to shift the bottlestoward the slot 24.

The inner bottles will engage the Stops 64A, or the spacer 12, as thecase may be (see Figure 8). With a spacer T2 extending across fourtrays, each such tray, on either side of the spacer, may hold one brandof drink, so that the four trays may hold a total of eight differentbrands and it would be possible to select any one of such brands sinceaccess by the lifter L would be possible to select a bottle of any suchbrand then lying against the spacer. The last two trays could not holdtwo different brands and permit selection of a bottle of the brand inthe last tray until the bottles in the fth tray had been all removed.Thus, in practice, the last two trays will hold bottles of a same brand.

A coin dropped into the coin box releases the lever 39, so that thelifter L, and therefore, the trap 30, is now free to be moved toward theslot 26, the trap coming to a stop when the stem S of the lifter reachesthe right hand end (as seen in Figure l) of the slot 21, and inalinement with the slot 24. The lifter is now carried in the slot 24 tothe selected position, that is, over the tray from which a bottle is tobe selected. The selected bottle is carried by the lifter, the stem Smoving along slot 24, then into slot 2S, to be received into the recess|33, the bottle being now in the trap 30. The trap is now moved towardbottle-delivering position (from right to left as seen in Figure l),thereby to bring the bottle to a position adjacent to the ejectionopening 2S. As the trap thus moves, the bottle in the trap is graduallyraised by the rod 50 until it slightly emerges through the opening whenthe trap has reached its initial position, and when it becomes locked,and remains locked until the next coin is dropped into the coin box.

What I claim is:

1. In a coin-controlled vending machine: a casing having a top opening;a pair of lids hinged at one end to said casing to close over saidcasing to form a partial closure for said opening, said lids beingspaced from one another to define therebetween, when closed, anelongated slot; channels on the sides of said casing extending from oneend of said opening toward said lids; a panel adapted to be slidden intosaid channels toward said end of said opening when said lids are raised,to complete with said lids, when closed, the closure for said opening,said panel being formed with an elongated slot including a portion inalignment with and operatively connected with rst slot, and said panelbeing formed with an ejection opening through which the wares may bewithdrawn one by one; a ware lifting device including a stem movable insaid slots for carrying a ware to adjacent said ejection opening; andcoin-controlled mechanism carried by said panel for controlling themovement of said lifting device toward and away from said ejectionopeni-ng.

2. In a coin-controlled vending machine: a casing having a top opening;a pair of transparent lids hinged at one end to one end of said casingto close over said top opening to form a partial closure therefor, saidlids being spaced apart at adjacent edges to define therebetween anarrow slot when closed; channels on the sides of said casing extendingtoward said one end of said casing; a panel adapted to be slidden intosaid channels when said lids are raised to complete with said lids, whenclosed, the closure for said top opening, said panel having a narrowslot including a portion in alignment with and operatively connectedwith said rst slot, and said panel having an ejection opening throughwhich the wares may be removed one by one; a ware-lifting deviceincluding a stem movable in said slots for carrying a ware to adjacentsaid ejection opening; and coin-controlled means carried by said panelfor controlling the movement of said lifting device toward and away fromsaid ejection opening.

3. In a machine as set forth in claim 2; said panel, and said lids whenclosed, co-operating in preventing substantial movement of said panel insaid channels toward said lids.

4. In a machine as set forth in claim 3; means for locking said lids inclosed position; said panel, and said lids when locked closed,co-operating in preventing substantial movement of said panel in saidchannels toward said one end of said casing.

5. In a machine as set forth in claim 2, said channels extending to apoint short of the free ends of said lids when closed.

6. In a coin-controlled vending machine of the kind wherein the Waresare manipulated by a lifting device having a stem projecting out of thetop of the machine through a guiding slot, said machine including acasing having a top opening; a unit constituted of closure means andmeans controlling the movement of the lifting device, comprising: aframe adapted to be secured to the casing adjacent the top opening; apair of lids hinged to one end member of said frame forming, whenlowered over said frame, a partial closure for the said opening, saidlids being spaced apart along adjacent edges to dene a narrow slot;channels carried by the opposite side members of said frame andextending toward said one end member; a panel adapted to be slidden intosaid channels, when said lids are raised, to complete with said lids,when lowered, the closure for the top opening, said panel having anarrow slot including a portion in alignment with and operativelyconnected with said first slot, and said panel having an ejectionopening through which the wares may be withdrawn one by one; andcoin-controlled means carried by said panel for controlling the movementof the lifting device toward and away from said ejection opening.

7. In a coin-controlled vending lnachine including a casing, a topmember having an ejection opening through which the wares may bewithdrawn one by one out of the machine, and a 'fting device manuallyoperable to carry a ware toward the ejection opening; a member adaptedto receive a ware mounted for longitudinal movement under said topmember and actuable by the lifting device between ware-receivingposition and ware-delivering position adjacent the ejection opening,means actuable by said warereceiving member for raising the ware in saidmember toward the ejection opening when said ware-receiving member movestoward ware-delivering position, and coin-controlled means controllingthe movement of said ware-receiving member.

8. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a casing including a topclosure member formed with a narrow elongated slot, a ware-liftingdevice manually operable by a stem movable longitudinally in said slotto carry the ware toward ejection position, a plurality of parallelelongated trays for the wares in said casing directed substantially atright angles to the axis of said slot, a pair of ware-pusher members ineach of said trays, means urging said pusher members toward one anotherautomatically to shift the wares in the direction of said slot, and aspacer member adapted to be secured in at least one of said trayssubstantially under said slot to form a stop determining the position ofthe pusher members of said one of said trays and thereby providing aspace longitudinally of said slot clear of wares through which saidlifting device may be moved to a tray beyond said one of said trays.

9. In a coin-controlled vending machine as set forth in claim 8, saidtray including parallel vertical walls, and said spacer member includinga horizontal wall extending above the upper edges of said verticalWalls.

10. In a coin-controlled vending machine as set forth in claim 8, saidtray including parallel vertical walls.

11. In a coin-controlled vending machine as set forth in claim 8, saidtray including parallel vertical walls, and said spacer member includinga horizontal Wall extending above the upper edges of said verticalWalls; said horizontal wall above an outer tray and one vertical wall ofsuch tray also having a cut out to present an open space into which theWare being carried by said lifting device may lower below saidhorizontal wall.

12. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a casing including a topclosure member formed with a narrow elongated slot, a bottle-liftingdevice manually operable, by a stem movable longitudinally in said slot,to carry a bottle toward ejecting position, a plurality of parallelelongated trays for bottles in said casing directed substantially atright angles to the axis of said slot, a pair of bottle pusher membersin each of said trays, means for urging said pusher members in thedirection of said slot, the front wall of the front tray having acut-out, and a spacer member including an upper horizontal wall adaptedto be secured in at least one of said trays substantially under saidslot to form a stop determining the position of said pusher members ofsaid one of said trays thereby to provide a space longitudinally of saidslot clear of bottles through which a bottle from a tray beyond said oneof said trays may be carried by said lifting device toward ejectingposition, said horizontal wall having a cut-out at its forward endsubstantially co-extensive with the width of the tray so that when saidspacer member is positioned to present its cut-out above the front traya verticallyopen space is formed into which the bottle being carried bysaid lifting device toward ejecting position may lower below saidhorizontal wall.

WILSON MARKS STEWART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,106,185 Morin Jan. 25, 19382,150,863 Morin Mar. 14, 1939 2,284,931 Stewart June 2, 1942 2,514,681Stewart July 11. 1950

